Our guiding principles are what make Tlayudona unique.
Join us on an experience and note the difference.
- Our hosts have complete autonomy over the experiences they offer.They control their schedules, the design of their experiences, and the prices they charge.
- We recognize the multiplicity of talents cultivated by our hosts and encourage creativity. One of our hosts is an expert in renewable energy AND alebrije-painting, and another is a sociologist AND coffee-enthusiast.
- We work predominantly with women hosts and our core team is all women. Women´s contributions are central to every aspect of Oaxaca, and yet they are often invisibilized. We provide a platform for our narratives to be central to the contstruction of knowledge.
- Our pricing is fair. We compensate our hosts extremely well and strive to offer the highest quality experiences at accessible prices. We are also actively seeking grant opportunities to be able to offer experiences to neighborhood communities free of charge.
- We stimulate the local economy. Unlike corporate projects that funnel earnings back into already-wealthy nations, ALL of the money earned by Tlayudona stays in Oaxaca, with the highest percentage going directly to our partnering Oaxacan hosts.
- We build community. One of the most defining aspects of Oaxacan life is the emphasis on community and collectivity. When we work together and allow all members of our community to bring their unique contributions to the table, amazing things happen.
- We believe that cross-cultural learning and understanding can build bridges, dispel stereotypes, and forge constructive new alliances based on love and respect. We emphasize learning through acknowledging difference, and provide a safe space for women and minority travelers.
Our Mission
To provide a platform for local hosts to offer authentic Oaxacan experiences to conscious travelers, life-learners, and neighbors who want to expand their socio-cultural panorama.
Our Vision
Create community based on constructing new intercultural bridges; mutual-learning; the formation of cross-cultural relationships; and loving and respectful alliances.
What We Do
Tlayudona provides unique and authentic experiences in Oaxaca based upon intercultural learning and mutual respect. The idea is that our hosts design the experiences that they offer, and our visitors are their guests. We approach travel this way in order to address the needs of both our hosts and our guests without exploiting local sites, culture, or people. We’ve given a lot of thought to our model, and take pride in subverting the power dynamics of conventional tourism. That’s why Tlayudona focuses on ancestral knowledge while ensuring our hosts’ control over the experiences they offer. We maintain a strong focus on the inclusion of women and other minority groups in our project.
Why We Do It
Tlayudona was born out of the intersection of two ideas: A sociological analysis about how we experience culture, people, and places during travel; and a practical desire to connect people who are visiting Oaxaca to people from the local community who are doing interesting things. Our founder had watched for over a decade how visitors arrive in Oaxaca wanting to connect to the local community in authentic and respectful ways, but how those paths to doing so are not often visible. At the same time, so many of our friends and allies here in Oaxaca were doing amazing things that the rest of the world knew nothing about. So we decided to build that bridge, and call it Tlayudona. Basically, we think that there’s still a way to do travel well, and are constantly innovating and reflecting to provide that opportunity.
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